WATER

Regulation & Governance

John Thomas Sr. Director Weston Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd.

About 700 million people in 43 countries live below the water-stress threshold of 1,700 cubic metres per person per year. In 20 years, 3 billion people will live in countries under that threshold.
Source: Human Development Report 2006

15 cm

Mawsynram 1187.2 cm (39) Wettest place on earth

INDIA- Water Sector at a Glance

Sl #
1 2 3 4
snowfall)

Item
Estiimated Annual Precipitation (including 4000 328.73 1097.1 1869

Unit
BCM Million Ha Million BCM

"India has 16% of the world's population, 2.5% of the land mass and 4% of the world's water 5 (estimated as on 1.3.2005) 1703.6 cu.m resources. 6 Estimated utilizable water 1122 BCM
Geographical Area Population (projected as on 1.3.2005) Average Annual Potential in Rivers Per capita Water Availability
(i) Surface (ii) Ground

690 BCM 432 BCM 1022.7 cu.m

Year 2000 42 541 8 2 41 2025 73 910 23 15 72 2050 102 1072 63 130 80

Per capita Utilizable water 7 (estimated as on 1.3.2005)

8

Projected Water Demand (BCM)

i) Domestic ii) Irrigation iii) Industry iv) Energy v) Others

Total
Source: Central Water Commission, Govt of India

634

1093

1447

Stage of GW Development
Assessment Units* Over exploited: 673 Dark 425 Total 7928
(* Blocks; Taluka; Watershed)

Over-exploited where the stage of ground water development exceeds the annual replenish able limit Dark where the stage of ground water development is more than 85%.

673 425

State wise level of Ground Water Development

>100% - Haryana (112.18%) 85 100% - Rajasthan (86.42%) & Punjab (97.66%) 65 85% - UT of Daman & Diu (70%). Negligible Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal
Pradesh, Sikkim & UT of Andaman and Nicobar.

Problems related to Groundwater Use

Three problems dominate groundwater use
depletion due to overdraft; waterlogging and salinization due mostly to inadequate drainage and insufficient conjunctive use; and pollution due to agricultural, industrial and other human activities

Most common symptom Secular decline in water tables.

Impacts of Groundwater Use

Impacts: Social, economic and political impacts.
Irrigation Source: Alternate for productive life for farmers with no
access to irrigation commands.

Impaired Regional Agricultural output: According to experts, a

quarter of Indias harvest may well be at risk from groundwater depletion. over-draft

Health problems - Groundwater contamination through pollution or

Inter Sectoral Conflicts Groundwater the contentious bone
between competing stakeholders (viz. industry, agriculture, domestic and
drinking, rural and urban)

Chemical Quality of Ground Water

Quality deterioration Domestic pollution Agricultural pollution Industrial pollution Geogenic contamination

Disposal of wastes, leaching of sewer materials,etc.

leaching of nutrients pesticides fertilisers

Disposal of effluents in streams or land

Arsenic

Fluoride

Iron

Nitrate

Salinity

WAY AHEAD
A Multi pronged Approach need to be adopted covering SOCIO ECONOMIC TECHNICAL & POLITICAL aspects 1. TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, RECLAIM e.g. NEWater, Singapore REMEDIATE / RESTORE: Impaired, contaminated Surface & Groundwater sources e.g. Houstanic River Restoration, USA

INVENT / INNOVATE
New industrial & agricultural processes/ technologies for efficient water use New products, seeds that require lesser water

Housatonic River Restoration

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsfield, MA

$150-million, 5-year environmental restoration

Established extensive system of temporary dams to divert river and remediate 95,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment TeamLink technology expedited communication

WAY AHEAD
2. SOCIAL ACTIONS .
Create Awareness / Consciousness among the community,
farmers

Voluntary Corporate Initiatives like The CEO Water

Mandate voluntary initiative towards UN Global Compact.

Water Neutral Initiatives by industries to make operations Water Neutral Make a Difference: Corporate Initiatives to Make a Difference to the Society / local community and global.

WAY AHEAD
3. ECONOMIC MEASURES .
Right Pricing of Water: for Commercial applications / Water
intensive operations

Well designed Water Permitting Regimes: Incorporating

Incentives for Water Conservation Initiatives like Tradable Water Rights and stiff penalties for misuse / contaminating WATER resources. Market Based Mechanisms to encourage Mutiple use of Water, Water Reclamation.

WAY AHEAD
4. REGULATORY / POLITICAL ACTIONS .
1. Introduce Mandatory regulations to encourage Sustainable development 2. Restoration of Impaired, contaminated Surface & Groundwater sources 3. Introduce Mechanisms to monitor and track water consumption pattern large consumers. 4. Adopt Integrated management approach towards Surface & Ground Water Sources